Georgia&#8217;s Democrat senator Jon Ossoff has made healthcare one of the central themes of his 2026 re-election campaign. In speeches, social media posts, and interviews, the first-term lawmaker particularly speaks about protecting mothers, preserving labor and delivery services, and ensuring that women have access to quality maternity care.
But those arguments have increasingly collided with another part of his record.
Last year, Ossoff <a href="https://x.com/ossoff/status/1968345283227795584?s=20">blasted</a> Republicans over closure of labor and delivery services at St. Mary&#8217;s Sacred Heart Hospital in Lavonia, warning that women in northeast Georgia would be forced to travel farther to give birth safely. The message was straightforward: women need access to maternity care, and policymakers should protect it.
Yet when the debate shifts from hospital access to questions of biological sex and gender identity, Ossoff has taken a markedly different position.
Among the votes drawing renewed scrutiny is his <a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1172/vote_117_2_00319.htm">opposition</a> to a Senate motion that sought to define pregnancy-related programs around the biological reality of pregnancy itself. The proposal would have clarified that federal pregnancy programs are intended for those capable of becoming pregnant. Ossoff voted against it, along with all other Democrats.
That vote may seem obscure compared to a hospital closure or a Medicaid debate, but it raises a larger question: if pregnancy and maternity care are issues specifically affecting women, why oppose efforts to define them as such?
Healthcare has become one of the senator&#8217;s <a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/2025/12/22/bookman-republicans-need-to-accept-that-most-americans-think-health-care-should-be-available-to-all/">preferred political battlegrounds</a> ahead of the midterms. Ossoff routinely frames debates through the language of mothers, pregnant women, and families. His criticism of the St. Mary&#8217;s decision was built around the image of women going into labor and needing care close to home.
At the same time, his voting record reflects support for a broader Left-wing framework that increasingly avoids sex-based definitions in favor of language based on so-called gender identity.
Ossoff posted his criticism of the GOP over St. Mary&#8217;s labor and delivery services closure as the Republican-controlled Congress and the Trump administration scaled back some health spending. The hospital, however, said the decision followed roughly 18 months of review and was driven by a combination of factors, according to reporting by the <a href="https://dailycaller.com/2025/09/22/jon-ossoff-big-beautiful-bill-rural-hospital/">Daily Caller</a>. 
Among the reasons for the decision were physician recruitment challenges, demographic changes, and declining utilization rates. Financial records also showed the facility had struggled for years before the announcement, yet Ossoff reduced the issue to a partisan attack.
Now, the debate is no longer simply about healthcare. It is about whether voters see Ossoff as a principled advocate or a politician whose definitions change depending on which argument is most useful at the moment. For a candidate asking Georgians to trust him on healthcare, that distinction could matter even more in the coming months. 
In Tuesday&#8217;s runoff election for the GOP primary, Georgia Republicans elected U.S. Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA) to face off against Ossoff in November. Collins entered Tuesday&#8217;s election after an endorsement from President Trump. November&#8217;s general election is expected to be one of the most closely watched Senate races in the country.
Ossoff did not respond to a request for comment.

Jon Ossoff

Jon Ossoff Opposed Measure To Block Men From Receiving Maternity Care

Democrats

Georgia

Businessman Rick Jackson has won the Republican nomination for governor of Georgia, defeating Trump-endorsed Lt. Gov. Burt Jones in one of the most expensive and closely watched primary battles of the 2026 cycle.
Decision Desk HQ projected Jackson as the winner Tuesday night, capping a campaign in which the healthcare executive spent more than $100 million of his own fortune to overcome endorsements from both President Donald Trump and outgoing Republican Gov. Brian Kemp. Jackson will now face former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who secured the Democratic nomination in May, in what is expected to be one of the most competitive governor&#8217;s races in the country.
The result represents a rare setback for Trump&#8217;s endorsement operation. The president backed Jones nearly a year ago and repeatedly reaffirmed his support throughout the campaign. Kemp, despite his often-complicated relationship with Trump, <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/06/16/georgia-brian-kemp-senate-governor-races-00962993">joined</a> the President and also endorsed Jones on Sunday.
Yet Jackson&#8217;s massive personal spending transformed the race. A relative political outsider, Jackson built statewide name recognition through an unprecedented advertising blitz centered on immigration enforcement, tax cuts, healthcare manufacturing, and his personal story of growing up in Georgia&#8217;s foster care system before becoming a billionaire entrepreneur.
The contest also revealed an unusual split within the Trump political orbit. While President Trump stood firmly behind Jones, Donald Trump Jr. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/house-divided-don-jr-praises-governor-hopeful-running-against-trumps-pick">publicly praised</a> Jackson on the eve of the election, highlighting his investments in domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing and energy infrastructure. Trump Jr. stopped short of issuing a formal endorsement but described Jackson as a &#8220;good man&#8221; who had helped advance America First economic priorities.
&#8220;Regardless of what happens in the Georgia Governor&#8217;s race tomorrow, we should celebrate the patriots building up MAGA and an America First economy like Rick Jackson has,&#8221; Trump Jr. wrote Monday. Jackson&#8217;s victory suggests that enormous personal wealth and outsider appeal can still overcome even the combined political weight of political kingpins like Trump and Kemp in a Republican primary. The race was widely viewed as a test of influence for both men. Trump remains the dominant figure in Republican politics nationally, while Kemp leaves office as one of the most popular governors in the country and a potential 2028 presidential contender.
Attention now shifts to the general election, where Jackson will face Bottoms, the former Atlanta mayor and Biden administration official who has long been considered one of Georgia Democrats&#8217; strongest statewide candidates.
With Georgia continuing to occupy the center of the nation&#8217;s political battleground map — perhaps only behind Pennsylvania in swing-state importance — the Jackson-Bottoms contest is expected to become one of the most closely watched governor&#8217;s races in America this November.

GOP Gubernatorial Candidate Rick Jackson Holds Primary Election Night Event

Trump And Trump Jr. Split In Georgia. Voters Chose One.

Politics

Georgia Republicans on Tuesday chose Rep. Mike Collins as their Senate nominee to face Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in a race that could help determine control of the upper chamber.
With half of the results reported, <a href="https://x.com/DecisionDeskHQ/status/2067036048463462609">Collins</a> leads former Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley with 53.3% of the vote. <a href="https://votes.decisiondeskhq.com/races/2026-06-16/georgia-us-senate-republican-runoff">Decision Desk HQ</a> called the race at 8:05p.m. local time.
Collins and Dooley advanced to a runoff on May 22 after no candidate passed the 50% threshold, earning <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/us/elections/results-georgia-primary.html">40.5% and 30.2%</a> of the vote, respectively. 
The contest presented another test between the power of the MAGA movement and the Republican establishment, with President Donald Trump and Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp once again at odds.
Over the weekend, Trump weighed into the race for the first time, throwing his political clout behind Collins. 
“It is my Great Honor to endorse ‘MAGA’ Mike Collins, a Highly Respected Congressman who has been with me from the very beginning, and is running for the United States Senate in Georgia, a very special place to me, and where we just had a BIG Presidential Election Win with the Most Votes Received by any single Candidate in Georgia’s History, for any Election,” <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116754019906128212">Trump wrote on Monday morning.</a> “Mike is strongly supported by the most Highly Respected MAGA Patriots in Georgia and beyond, and many Republicans in the U.S. House and Senate — He is a WARRIOR and WINNER!”
 Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-makes-endorsement-ahead-of-critical-senate-runoff">first endorsed</a> Collins on Saturday. 
“Mike has to beat a Republican Opponent before he gets to Ossoff,” Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116746683568766400">said</a> on Saturday in his first post endorsing Collins. “I don’t know Derek Dooley, and neither does anyone else, but he seems like a nice person. Unfortunately, he has lived outside of Georgia for most of his life, didn’t vote in 2020 or 2016, and said that I lost Georgia in 2020 when, in actuality, the facts have now proven that I won by a lot!”
Governor Kemp backed Dooley, who said the former football coach was “our one and only opportunity to knock Jon Ossoff off.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Marty and I are proud to support <a href="https://x.com/DerekDooleyGA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DerekDooleyGA</a>. Hardworking Georgians are ready to fire Jon Ossoff and send a conservative fighter who will put Georgians first and bring a new kind of leadership to Washington, D.C.
Let’s get out the vote for Derek tomorrow! <a href="https://t.co/B8v3QA8ubP">pic.twitter.com/B8v3QA8ubP</a>
— Brian Kemp (@BrianKempGA) <a href="https://x.com/BrianKempGA/status/2066540610467803237?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 15, 2026</a></blockquote>
Kemp, a popular two-term governor, did not get his way. Trump, widely seen as the kingmaker of Republican politics, has consistently prevailed in Republican primaries, with few exceptions.
Last month, Trump made another last-minute intervention in a GOP Senate runoff, endorsing Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who defeated Senator John Cornyn in a landslide margin. The president also knocked off longtime Republican Congressman Thomas Massie in Kentucky and a handful of Indiana state lawmakers who bucked his redistricting push. 
Whether his hand-picked candidate will prevail in November presents a different question. Ossoff, the only incumbent Democratic senator in a state that voted for Trump, holds an early advantage going into November, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/polls/georgia-us-senate-election-polls-2026.html">according to most polls</a>.
Holding Ossoff’s seat would go a long way in Democratic efforts to flip the 53-47 Republican-controlled Senate. 
“After nearly a year-long, brutally messy audition to win over the White House, Trump puppets Mike Collins and Derek Dooley have made themselves both unelectable and terminally inseparable from the toxic president,” the <a href="https://x.com/TeamOssoff/status/2066170071672586713?s=20">Ossoff campaign posted on X</a>.

Rep. Mike Collins

Trump Wins Again: MAGA Candidate Runs Away With Georgia Senate Runoff

Donald Trump

News

President Donald Trump and his son appear to be rooting for different candidates to be the next governor of Georgia ahead of Tuesday&#8217;s runoff election.
Trump endorsed Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, but on Monday, Donald Trump Jr. put out a statement praising Jones’ rival, Rick Jackson. Trump Jr. clarified that his post was not an endorsement.
&#8220;Regardless of what happens in the Georgia Governor’s race tomorrow, we should celebrate the patriots building up MAGA and an America First economy like Rick Jackson has,&#8221; Trump Jr. <a href="https://x.com/DonaldJTrumpJr/status/2066590785756418413">wrote</a>. 
&#8220;When China threatened our amoxicillin supply, Rick saved the last amoxicillin manufacturing facility in America because he knows we can’t let China control our entire supply of antibiotics,&#8221; he added. &#8220;When the U.S. faced an oil refining shortage and the woke banks wouldn’t finance a new one, Rick stepped up again and became the largest outside investor. This has been a hard-fought race with a lot of mudslinging, but I know Rick Jackson to be a good man and that counts for a lot.&#8221;
Trump Jr. added that either outcome would be a win for conservatives. &#8220;By the way, this is not an endorsement of Rick and I think Burt Jones is a great guy too. My only point is that no matter who wins tomorrow, it’s a victory for MAGA.&#8221;
President Trump endorsed Jones last summer and then reaffirmed his endorsement in a post on Truth Social in March.
&#8220;Hello Georgia. I am thrilled to give my complete and total endorsement to my good friend and your next Governor Burt Jones. He is fantastic. He&#8217;s done a great job,&#8221; <a href="https://www.facebook.com/burtjonesforga/videos/a-message-from-president-trump/1514950866924504/">said</a> Trump in a video endorsement.
President Trump and Georgia’s current Republican governor, Brian Kemp, have had a tumultuous relationship. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Kemp was the first governor to reopen the state in late April of 2020, just weeks after the emergency lockdown was called.
At the time, Trump had urged Kemp to wait, but Kemp diverged from the president and reopened Georgia. It would not be the last time Kemp went against Trump’s wishes. The governor also certified the 2020 presidential election results from Georgia despite Trump&#8217;s objections, securing 16 electoral votes for then-Democratic nominee Joe Biden. Kemp, who is term-limited, also endorsed Jones.
The Kalshi prediction market favors Jones over Jackson in the runoff. The winner will face Democratic nominee and former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.
Jones, once a prominent oil executive, has served as the state’s lieutenant governor for the last three years. Jackson, like the president himself, is a self-made billionaire. Jackson grew up in foster care and founded his first healthcare company in the Atlanta area in 1978. He has spent over $100 million of his own money on his race.

US-POLITICS-TRUMP

House Divided: Don Jr. Praises Governor Hopeful Running Against Trump’s Pick

Donald Trump Jr.

Election

Republicans

President Donald Trump endorsed Rep. Mike Collins for Senate just ahead of the Georgia Republican primary runoff election. 
Collins is set to face off on Tuesday against former Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley for the GOP nomination. The winner will take on Democrat Senator Jon Ossoff, who first took office in January 2021, in a race that could prove crucial for control of the Senate. 
“It is my Great Honor to endorse ‘MAGA’ Mike Collins, a Highly Respected Congressman who has been with me from the very beginning, and is running for the United States Senate in Georgia, a very special place to me, and where we just had a BIG Presidential Election Win with the Most Votes Received by any single Candidate in Georgia’s History, for any Election,” Trump wrote on Monday morning. “Mike is strongly supported by the most Highly Respected MAGA Patriots in Georgia and beyond, and many Republicans in the U.S. House and Senate — He is a WARRIOR and WINNER!”
The race, which featured Collins, Dooley, and Rep. Buddy Carter, moved to a runoff on May 22 after no candidate earned over 50% of the vote. Collins advanced with 40.5% of the vote while Dooley advanced with 30.2%. 
Trump first endorsed Collins on Saturday, before reiterating his support on Monday morning. 
“Mike has to beat a Republican Opponent before he gets to Ossoff,” Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116746683568766400">said</a> on Saturday in his first post endorsing Collins. “I don’t know Derek Dooley, and neither does anyone else, but he seems like a nice person. Unfortunately, he has lived outside of Georgia for most of his life, didn’t vote in 2020 or 2016, and said that I lost Georgia in 2020 when, in actuality, the facts have now proven that I won by a lot!”
Dooley is backed by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, who said the former football coach was “our one and only opportunity to knock Jon Ossoff off.&#8221;
Tuesday&#8217;s Georgia runoff election will also feature the Trump-endorsed Burt Jones against billionaire Rick Jackson, who has dumped millions into the race. Jones took 38.2% of the vote the first time around to Jackson&#8217;s 32.5%. 
Last month, Trump made another last-minute intervention in a GOP Senate runoff, endorsing Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over incumbent Senator John Cornyn. Paxton went on to solidly defeat Cornyn.

MixCollage-15-Jun-2026-09-13-AM-2163

Trump Makes Endorsement Ahead Of Critical Senate Runoff

2026 Midterms

Senate

U.S. Politics

In less than a week, visitors from around the world will descend on Atlanta for the FIFA World Cup 2026, but many residents worry that the city&#8217;s transit system, known as MARTA, isn&#8217;t ready after three attacks in the past two weeks, including one killing.
&#8220;I&#8217;m nervous that it won&#8217;t be ready by next week for the world coming here,&#8221; one passenger told The Daily Wire.
At MARTA&#8217;s North Avenue Station, riders described a system they believe has become increasingly unsafe, citing violent crime, fare evasion, and a lack of visible security. The Daily Wire interviewed several passengers at the station, many of whom said they no longer feel safe while riding.
&#8220;When I say it&#8217;s not safe, there is no security,&#8221; one passenger said, pointing to multiple people walking through fare gates without paying. MARTA officials say fare evasion costs the transit system <a href="https://www.gpb.org/news/2025/06/25/how-can-you-be-confident-riders-officials-question-atlanta-transit-readiness-ahead">$7 million</a> per year. 
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&nbsp;
Other riders said they have witnessed fights on trains. One passenger described an incident in which another rider struck a young girl without provocation. &#8220;There was a little Hispanic girl that got hit on the train,&#8221; the passenger said. &#8220;She was crying. It was really sad to see.&#8221;
Passengers also said weapons are not an uncommon sight. &#8220;Somebody dropped something. It was a gun,&#8221; one rider said. Another passenger recalled watching someone pull out a knife inside a crowded train car. &#8220;I&#8217;ve heard everything from death to rape to murder,&#8221; another rider said.
Several passengers said the trains get worse at night. 
&#8220;Absolutely not,&#8221; one rider said when asked if they felt safe riding MARTA at night.
&#8220;Nighttime is when I like to call them the nightcrawlers — the people you wouldn&#8217;t see in the daytime. The train is their home,&#8221; said another person. 
The riders&#8217; fears are reflected in the numbers and data. 
MARTA openly subsidizes fares for homeless riders while paying riders say they are left to deal with the consequences, such as drug use, outbursts, and mental disorders that can accompany those taking shelter on the train.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1113457" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-10-at-11.44.00-AM.png" alt="" width="1110" height="848" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-10-at-11.44.00-AM.png 1110w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-10-at-11.44.00-AM-300x229.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-10-at-11.44.00-AM-754x576.png 754w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-10-at-11.44.00-AM-768x587.png 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1110px) 100vw, 1110px" /></div>
Violent incidents on MARTA&#8217;s rail lines occur at nearly four times the national average for public transit systems, according to federal officials. 
Those concerns have drawn the attention of Washington. The Trump administration launched a federal investigation into MARTA following a series of violent attacks on the transit system.
&#8220;Every American should be disturbed by the horrific crimes we have seen on MARTA in the last month,&#8221; U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said.
&#8220;No one should be forced to fear for their safety simply because they choose to ride public transit,&#8221; Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp <a href="https://www.11alive.com/article/sports/soccer/world-cup/kemp-offers-help-to-marta-all-they-gotta-do-is-call-and-ask-us/85-1b493562-a5b2-4c9e-8859-809741d9f59b?utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=facebook_11Alive">told</a> Atlanta Democratic Mayor Andre Dickens. “All they gotta do is call and ask us.” 
And while riders raise questions, Dickens projects confidence in the city’s transit system for the World Cup. “MARTA is going to step up big,” he <a href="https://www.11alive.com/article/sports/soccer/world-cup/atlanta-mayor-andre-dickens-city-officials-world-cup-pep-rally/85-87e12a83-601e-43cc-9030-3e77d59d94aa?utm_source=chatgpt.com">said</a>. 
While MARTA operates independently of City Hall, Dickens is not entirely removed from the transit system&#8217;s leadership. The mayor appoints three members to MARTA&#8217;s board of directors, giving him significant influence over the authority&#8217;s direction and oversight. As Atlanta prepares to welcome visitors from around the globe, that relationship is likely to intensify scrutiny of the mayor&#8217;s handling of transit safety.

FIFA World Cup 2026 Venues – Atlanta Stadium

‘It’s Not Safe’: MARTA Riders Sound Alarm As Atlanta Prepares For World Cup

Atlanta

Crime

Soccer

Transportation

World Cup

The baseball gods, as we have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/talk-trash-get-smashed-never-write-checks-your-fastball-cant-cash">pointed out before</a>, are an incredibly touchy pantheon. They demand humility, they despise a showboat, and they absolutely refuse to tolerate a man treating a 360-foot trip around the bases like a personal red-carpet gala.
During Sunday night’s high-stakes NCAA regional final at Athens&#8217; Foley Field, Georgia junior third baseman Tre Phelps apparently missed the memo.
With the No. 3 national seed Bulldogs stymied by Liberty starter Cooper Harrington into the sixth inning, Phelps finally broke the ice. He crushed a clutch, two-run missile to left field, sparking a massive rally that would eventually secure a 6-1 victory and a Super Regional berth. It was a heroic, game-changing swing.
Then came the performance art.
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Instead of a standard trot, Phelps embarked on a masterclass in theatricality. He danced toward first base, facing the stands. Right before rounding the bag, he flashed hand signals and directed heavy celebrations toward the Liberty dugout. While Phelps and Georgia coach Wes Johnson later claimed he was merely gesturing toward his family in the stands, the Liberty infielders and dugout clearly felt otherwise.
Phelps didn&#8217;t stop there. He showboated his way around the entire diamond. As he rounded third, he spun backward to deliver a low-five to his coach, deliberately walked the final few paces to home plate, and orchestrated a lengthy celebration with the on-deck batter.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
TRE PHELPS GIVES GEORGIA THE LEAD AND THEN GETS TOSSED FOR CELEBRATION
WES JOHNSON TOSSED. WOW. <a href="https://t.co/kL36K3AVXS">pic.twitter.com/kL36K3AVXS</a>
&mdash; 11Point7 College Baseball (@11point7) <a href="https://x.com/11point7/status/2061220410700833269?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 31, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
It was a display that would make NFL legend Barry Sanders wince. In the documentary Bye Bye Barry, Sanders recalled how his father discouraged any elaborate showboating, instilling a simple message: &#8220;Act like you&#8217;ve been there before.&#8221; That lesson became Sanders&#8217; trademark. After spectacular 80-yard touchdown runs, he didn&#8217;t dance; he simply flipped the ball to the referee and jogged away.
Phelps took the exact opposite approach, and the umpires—having seen quite enough of the Tre Phelps Variety Hour—promptly ejected him. Phelps was so lost in his own euphoria that he reportedly didn&#8217;t even realize he&#8217;d been tossed until much later.
The ejection triggered a secondary explosion from Georgia head coach Wes Johnson, who stormed the field and erupted at the crew. &#8220;I’m going to always, if I think something&#8217;s wrong, stand up for our players no matter what,&#8221; Johnson later defended, insisting Phelps was just waving to his family. The umpires, unmoved by the familial defense, tossed Johnson too.
&#8220;We let our players express themselves,&#8221; Johnson argued postgame. &#8220;Who&#8217;s going to tell a player he can&#8217;t wave to his family?&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Here&#8217;s everything UGA&#8217;s Wes Johnson and Daniel Jackson said after the game about the ejection and upcoming suspension for Tre Phelps <a href="https://x.com/DawgNation?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DawgNation</a> <a href="https://t.co/0zJJsZGDrX">https://t.co/0zJJsZGDrX</a> <a href="https://t.co/hhCQvY5Qik">pic.twitter.com/hhCQvY5Qik</a>
— Cody Chaffins (@CodyChaffins) <a href="https://x.com/CodyChaffins/status/2061278398660362437?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 1, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The answer, Wes, is the <a href="https://www.bumpsweb.com/NCAA/NCAA_Baseball_Rules.2025.2026.pdf">NCAA rulebook</a>, which strictly demands an automatic one-game suspension for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Fortunately for the Bulldogs, the rest of the squad <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/college-sports/article/georgias-tre-phelps-coach-wes-johnson-ejected-after-home-run-celebration-in-regional-win-over-liberty-003449038.html">focused on the scoreboard</a>. Caden Aoki turned in a masterful performance on the mound, scattering six hits and striking out a career-high 11 batters over six innings. After Phelps&#8217; forced exit, replacement Michael O’Shaughnessy stepped up in the eighth, opening a four-run frame with a home run of his own that put Georgia up 3-1 on the way to the 6-1 final.
Georgia (49-12) keeps its hopes alive for its first College World Series appearance since 2008. They advance to the Super Regionals to face Mississippi State.
But they will have to do it without their star third baseman for Game 1. Thanks to his mid-trot antics, Phelps will sit out the opening match of the next round.
Next time, Tre, channel your inner Barry Sanders, wave to mom and dad from the dugout, and act like you&#8217;ve been there before.

COLLEGE BASEBALL: MAY 23 SEC Baseball Tournament – Georgia vs Florida

Strut The Line, Serve The Time: Home Run Trot Gets Player Tossed

Strut The Line, Serve The Time: Don't Showboat Home Run Trot Straight To The Pine

NCAA baseball

A federal judge appointed by former President Barack Obama has been identified as the official caught having sex in her chambers with a high-ranking law enforcement officer during business hours.
Citing a person familiar with the investigation, Bloomberg Law <a href="https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/eleanor-ross-of-atlanta-is-judge-reprimanded-for-sex-in-chambers-94">reported</a> Thursday that U.S. District Judge Eleanor Ross of the Northern District of Georgia <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/federal-judge-gets-slap-on-wrist-after-chambers-sex-scandal-with-police-officer?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Federal+Judge+Gets+Slap+On+Wrist+After+Chambers+Sex+Scandal+With+Police+Officer">received</a> a “private reprimand” from the court’s disciplinary panel for engaging “in an extramarital affair with a high-ranking law enforcement officer.” 
The panel said the judge had “sexual intercourse in the judge’s chambers during business hours within hearing distance of staff,” but did not identify Ross by name. 
Ross was <a href="https://x.com/MarcoPolo501c3/status/2060041718410416290">first identified</a> as the judge involved by Marco Polo, a watchdog organization known for publishing material related to Hunter Biden&#8217;s laptop. 
The Atlanta-based judge did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Daily Wire. 
An investigation into Ross began in September 2025 after a court clerk reported hearing “kissing sounds and other noises consistent with intimate activity” and “sounds of moaning” coming from judicial chambers. 
That investigation found that Ross maintained a sexual relationship with the law enforcement officer for two years, placing herself in jeopardy of extortion and blackmail. Ross was also found to have lied about the relationship and attended a partisan political event in violation of court guidelines. 
The Committee on Judicial Conduct and Disability, which reviews complaints against judges, later affirmed the findings. 
Ross received a private reprimand along with an order to write apology letters to former clerks. She was also barred from becoming chief judge or serving on Judicial Conference committees. 
Obama appointed Ross to the federal bench in 2014. She was <a href="https://www.congress.gov/nomination/113th-congress/1231">confirmed</a> after advancing through the Senate with bipartisan support. 
During her confirmation hearing, Ross <a href="https://www.c-span.org/person/eleanor-louise-ross/75256/">called</a> her husband her “rock and source of inspiration in all of my professional and personal endeavors.” In her judicial questionnaire, she <a href="https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Ross%20Responses.pdf">wrote</a> that “the most important attribute of a judge is integrity.”
As a judge, Ross has overseen several high-profile election-integrity cases and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/reality-stars-todd-and-julie-chrisley-sentenced-to-prison" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sentenced</a> reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley to 12 and 7 years in prison, respectively. They were later pardoned by President Donald Trump. 
Todd Chrisley <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DY0ud-IlrMp/?hl=en&amp;img_index=1">called</a> for Ross to be impeached, writing on Instagram that “this corrupt judge who couldn’t focus on our case because she was to (sic) busy clapping dem cheeks in her chambers per the articles that are surfacing in the last few hours, she needs to be impeached and we will work with Congress and our legal team to see that this happens.”
During the 2020 election, Ross <a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-f7ef69c7f79ddc036a14f76a00a4870d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">extended</a> the deadline for receiving absentee ballots to three days after Election Day. That ruling was later blocked by a higher court.

MixCollage-28-May-2026-12-31-PM-3045

Obama-Appointed Judge Caught Fornicating In Chambers Within Earshot Of Clerks

Courts

Georgia voters on Tuesday rejected two state Supreme Court justice candidates backed and funded by Democrats, including former President Barack Obama and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Incumbent conservative justices Sarah Warren and Charles Bethel, both appointed to Georgia’s top court by Republican Gov. Nathan Deal, defeated liberal former state Sen. Jen Jordan and attorney Miracle Rankin. 
The nonpartisan races drew outsized attention as Democrats nationwide sought to flip the seats in a blue-leaning electorate and reshape Georgia’s high court ahead of looming redistricting and abortion battles
&#8220;Epic Dem flop, this is an electorate that should have gotten their Supreme Court candidates over the line. Good bit of Dem/abortion group spending but Dems went to polls and didn’t know who their candidates were,&#8221; Semafor political reporter <a href="https://x.com/daveweigel/status/2057080178325459014?s=20">David Weigel posted on social media.</a> 
In Warren’s race, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/us/elections/results-georgia-supreme-court-justice-warren-seat.html">the results reflected a blowout</a>, with the Republican-appointed justice winning nearly 60% of the statewide vote, including a chunk of the black vote, and carrying all but three counties.
&#8220;Sarah Hawkins Warren is pulling out legitimately insane numbers for a Republican,&#8221; Ryan Girdusky, a conservative political consultant, <a href="https://x.com/RyanGirdusky/status/2056892399788445899?s=20">said on X</a>. 
Zachary Donnini, head of data science at Vote Hub, said Warren&#8217;s victory likely preserves Georgia&#8217;s conservative court majority through 2030. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Republican-backed Justice Sarah Warren has held her Georgia Supreme Court seat despite a blue-leaning electorate, likely preserving the GOP’s court majority until at least spring 2030.
The result could especially matter for future abortion and redistricting cases. <a href="https://t.co/fxwG8D9hkx">https://t.co/fxwG8D9hkx</a>
— Zachary Donnini (@ZacharyDonnini) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZacharyDonnini/status/2056888928817348750?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 20, 2026</a></blockquote>
In Charles Bethel’s race, the result was closer but produced a similar outcome, with the Republican-appointed incumbent defeating Obama-backed Miracle Rankin <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/us/elections/results-georgia-supreme-court-justice-bethel-seat.html">with 51% of the vote.</a>
&#8220;Georgia’s electorate is already D+7, and will grow with the Atlanta-area vote still out, but the key story is persuasion: many black Democratic voters backed incumbent Republican justices,&#8221; Donnini <a href="https://x.com/ZacharyDonnini/status/2056943230747398498">said</a> on X. &#8220;Dems probably needed to spend some money to tell their base who they should vote for.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Obama isn’t having a great night <a href="https://t.co/f0OF1UJfTA">https://t.co/f0OF1UJfTA</a>
— Ryan James Girdusky (@RyanGirdusky) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanGirdusky/status/2056914990867562613?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 20, 2026</a></blockquote>
A sitting Georgia Supreme Court Justice has not lost re-election in more than a century, according to the <a href="https://www.ajc.com/politics/2026/04/georgia-supreme-court-races-turn-into-partisan-battleground/">Atlanta Journal-Constitution</a> — but this year’s races attracted Democratic heavy hitters — including former President Barack Obama and former Vice President Kamala Harris. 
&#8220;You have the chance to send Miracle Rankin and Jen Jordan to the Georgia Supreme Court. They are extraordinary leaders who will fight to protect your rights and uphold the rule of law,&#8221; Harris posted on social media. 
The high-profile endorsements ultimately fell short. 
&#8220;The decisions made by state supreme courts touch every part of our lives. And that’s especially important when voting rights and basic freedoms are being challenged,&#8221; Obama said on Election Day. &#8220;Let’s get this one right, Georgia.&#8221; 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The decisions made by state supreme courts touch every part of our lives. And that’s especially important when voting rights and basic freedoms are being challenged.
Today, voters in Georgia can stand up for fairness and integrity by electing Miracle Rankin and Jen Jordan to…
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) <a href="https://twitter.com/BarackObama/status/2056825363989459163?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2026</a></blockquote>

Barack Obama Joins Kamala Harris As She Campaigns For President In Georgia

Democrats Quietly Took A Big Loss In Battleground State

Barack Obama

Kamala Harris

Georgia’s political future came into focus Tuesday night as voters narrowed crowded primary races down to six major contenders in two of the state’s most consequential races. 
Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones and billionaire dark horse candidate Rick Jackson advanced to a runoff election to decide the Republican nominee for governor. Meanwhile, former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms emerged victorious on the Democrat side, setting up a competitive election to succeed Republican Governor Brian Kemp. 
Republican Congressman Mike Collins and former University of Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley also advanced to a runoff to determine who will challenge incumbent Democrat Sen. Jon Ossoff in November. 
Georgia is expected to be one of the most-watched battleground states heading into the 2026 midterms, with national implications for both parties.
Jones, a staunch ally of President Donald Trump and one of Georgia’s most recognizable conservative figures, entered the race with significant momentum after securing the president&#8217;s endorsement. As lieutenant governor, Jones championed lower taxes, increased funding for the education system, and supported law enforcement. 
Billionaire Rick Jackson <a href="https://www.wabe.org/rick-jackson-burt-jones-headed-to-a-runoff-in-the-republican-primary-for-georgia-governor/">spent</a> more than $83 million of his own fortune on the race, vastly outspending the other GOP candidates. Jackson, who made his fortune as a healthcare executive, framed his campaign around government accountability and spending reform.  
“Work brings dignity, purpose, and independence. If you want to sit on your butt, binge-watching Netflix and eating Cheetos, do it with your own money,” he said during the campaign. 
Despite Jackson&#8217;s massive spending advantage, Jones received the endorsement of President Trump, leaving the race neck-and-neck. The runoff election will now decide who advances to the general election against Bottoms. 
Bottoms, who rose to national prominence during her tenure as Atlanta mayor, positioned herself as the establishment Democrat in the governor’s race. Backed by major Democrat donors and party operatives, Bottoms ran on expanding healthcare, protecting abortion, and increasing government investment in social programs.
Her nomination sets her up for her first attempt to win a statewide general election after she served as a senior adviser in the Biden White House following her departure from City Hall.
As mayor, Bottoms oversaw Atlanta during the COVID pandemic and the riots that followed the death of George Floyd. She has been staunchly opposed to President Trump, whom she has described as “a madman in the White House.” Bottoms <a href="https://www.atlantaga.gov/Home/Components/News/News/11448/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">eliminated</a> cash bail requirements for several offenses and pushed policies that restrict police from pursuing misdemeanor suspects. 
On the Senate side, the Republican race in Georgia could become one of the most expensive and nationally significant contests in the country. 
Collins, a conservative congressman and trucking business owner, campaigned as a pro-Trump outsider focused on border security, economic growth, and rolling back Biden-era policies. Dooley decided to get involved after becoming frustrated with &#8220;congressional gridlock and a failure to service the public.&#8221; The primary will determine who will face Ossoff, one of the Democrats’ highest-profile incumbents. 
Ossoff narrowly won his Senate seat in the 2021 runoff elections, which temporarily gave Democrats control of the Senate. With Georgia serving as a swing state in recent elections, both parties are expected to pour significant resources into the race ahead of November.

Georgia Residents Cast Ballots For 2020 U.S. Presidential Election

Two Republican Primaries Advance To Runoffs In Key Swing State

LIVE UPDATES: High-Stakes Georgia Primaries Could Reshape 2026 Midterms

Kentucky

Thomas Massie

Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp on Wednesday called a special session to redraw the state&#8217;s congressional and legislative districts before the 2028 elections.
Kemp signed a proclamation convening the General Assembly on June 17 to address redistricting after a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling ended race-based gerrymandering.
The news, first reported by<a href="https://www.ajc.com/politics/2026/05/gov-kemp-calls-lawmakers-back-for-redistricting-special-session/"> The Atlanta Journal-Constitution</a>, comes as Republican-led states across the South move to redraw the maps ahead of the November midterms.
The special session next month in Atlanta is expected to center on new maps that could take effect for the 2028 election cycle, particularly if Republicans lose power in the governor’s office or state legislature this fall.
&#8220;The new maps could net Republicans two U.S. House districts and further entrench GOP power in GA’s General Assembly,&#8221; VoteHub, an independent election reporting outlet,<a href="https://x.com/VoteHub/status/2054652298853560756?s=20"> said on social media. </a>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NEWS — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has called a special session to redraw Georgia’s congressional, state House, and state Senate districts before the 2028 elections.
The new maps could net Republicans two U.S. House districts and further entrench GOP power in GA’s General Assembly.
— VoteHub (@VoteHub) <a href="https://twitter.com/VoteHub/status/2054652298853560756?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 13, 2026</a></blockquote>
Georgia&#8217;s Freedom Caucus, a state-level bloc of Republicans, celebrated the move, urging state lawmakers not to waste the opportunity.
&#8220;We must not let this opportunity go to waste,&#8221;<a href="https://x.com/FreedomCaucusGA/status/2054628817545658646?s=20"> the group said on social media.</a> &#8220;The time is NOW to scrap the machines and go to paper ballots. The time is NOW to end racial gerrymandering and provide Georgians with fair electoral maps.
Democrats slammed the decision.
&#8220;We just learned that Georgia is moving forward with gerrymandering for 2028,&#8221; Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) <a href="https://x.com/ReverendWarnock/status/2054642864349438084?s=20">posted on X.</a> &#8220;There is an extreme movement in this country that will stop at nothing to hold on to power, even if it means stripping representation away from millions. I will fight this with everything I have.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
We just learned that Georgia is moving forward with gerrymandering for 2028.
There is an extreme movement in this country that will stop at nothing to hold on to power, even if it means stripping representation away from millions.
I will fight this with everything I have.
— Reverend Raphael Warnock (@ReverendWarnock) <a href="https://twitter.com/ReverendWarnock/status/2054642864349438084?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 13, 2026</a></blockquote>
Georgia&#8217;s Democratic Party said redistricting would undermine minority representation and energize its base.
“Governor Kemp’s decision to call a special session to redraw our maps immediately in the wake of the gutting of the Voting Rights Act is not only a brazen attempt to take away the voting power of Black Georgians – it shows just how scared Republicans are of Georgia voters,&#8221;<a href="https://georgiademocrat.org/dpg-statement-on-kemp-calling-for-a-special-session-to-redraw-georgias-maps-take-away-black-voters-power/"> the group said in a statement. </a>
Georgia&#8217;s approach differs from other Republican-led states that have already moved forward with redistricting tied to more immediate election cycles. Florida and Tennessee have enacted new maps, while Alabama and Louisiana are expected to follow. On Tuesday, the Missouri Supreme Court upheld new district lines expected to net Republicans a seat.
On Wednesday, several media outlets reported South Carolina GOP Gov. Henry McMaster is planning to call a special session next week to weigh a new map that could eliminate the state&#8217;s remaining Democratic seat after <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/more-republicans-may-be-headed-for-the-indiana-treatment-after-redistricting-pushback?author=Drew+Berkemeyer&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=13&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=More+Republicans+May+Be+Headed+For+The+Indiana+Treatment+After+Redistricting+Pushback">Republicans hit a procedural roadblock on Wednesday. </a>

Governor Brian Kemp Election Night Rally

Georgia Gov Calls Special Session To Redraw Maps, Democrats Cry Gerrymandering

Brian Kemp

Redistricting

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